OUR FAMILY

Sunshine Connections was an event management company operating in Gympie Queensland, early 1980’s. It’s small team had been involved annually with the National Country Music Muster since it’s inception in 1982 and official coordinators since 1988. This major event, held amongst the towering gums of Amamoor Creek State Forest Park every August, is one of Australia’s largest festivals, offering a feast of entertainment in many on-site venues. It is considered to be one of the most spectacular celebrations of Country music in the country, the quintessential Aussie event, a hallmark Australian festival.

Other major event co-ordination included the opening celebrations of the Hall of Fame at Longreach in 1988

In 1995, our crew was invited to become involved in the logistics of the Waltzing Matilda Centenary to be held in Winton, Queensland. Security, food availability, water, transport, ablutions were just some of the things to be considered, but the major challenge was accommodation – this small outback town could only house a small fraction of the number of visitors expected. Sunshine Connections decided the most logical course of action was to purchase a number of tents and set up tent cities on three key locations within the town – named “Quartpot”, “Squatters Hill” and “Banjo Patterson’s”. “Banjo Patterson’s” was an upmarket tent city that even boasted room service and a restaurant with gourmet menu, fine wines and a qualified chef! The venture was a huge success.

The Sunshine Connections team realised that a similar service could assist patrons coming to the upcoming Muster, and “Banjo’s” was established on the banks of Amamoor Creek within the Muster site. The benefits were obvious immediately – patrons who didn’t have their own camping gear or were coming from interstate or overseas were not precluded from staying at the Muster – to say nothing of the patrons who just didn’t want the hassle of organising a camp. The service was easy, convenient and enjoyable for patrons. Other festival organisers were soon keen to be able to offer the same facility to their patrons.

Now nation-wide, ‘Tent City Hire’ services both annual and once-only events and festivals, conventions and corporate functions – in an amazing array of locations. The ‘Tent City Hire’ crew have worked their magic from deserts to forests to tropical islands, for one-day festivals to seven-week adventures, from outback stations to movie sets!

Regular clientele of Tent City include the National Country Music Muster (Gympie), Splendour in the Grass( North Byron Parklands), Woodford Folk Festival (Woodfordia) Byron Bay Bluesfest ( Byron Bay) plus many more, as well as a number of service organisations, tourism facilities and corporate bodies Australia-wide.